A Right Now God!

Stress sure does have a way of sneaking up on you.  As people, I believe we just kick in to automatic mode and behave accordingly.  This is especially true for people like me who always try to take on more than I can actually handle.  I remember when my children were born and I felt like I had to cook a hot meal for them every day and a very dear friend of mine told me that I better make them a sandwich and some chips, have them take a bath and then go to bed.  That was some of the best advice I ever received.  It was an instant stress reliever.  I still cooked meals on a regular basis but it there was a day when I worked long hours or just didn't feel like cooking, I no longer felt bad.  Now I am in a new stage of my life and with this stage comes new stresses.  So what can I do to handle all this stress?

The only solution I can think of is to pray.  The bible tells us to 'Pray without ceasing' and 'Men ought to always pray and not faint'.  In your darkest hour when it seems as though the world is closing in on you, tell God.  I tried once to explain what I was feeling to a friend of mine but she couldn't take away my pain.  And mind you, I have some great friends.  If they could take it away, I know they would.  In this case, she let me vent and then she told me she would pray for me.  But what if I had taken that same conversation I had with my friend where I laid it all out and had the same conversation with God.  In the words of the old hymn, 'Oh what peace we often forfeit. Oh what needless pains we bear.  All because we do not carry, every thing to God in prayer'. 

There are times when God makes us wait in order to teach us something but I truly believe their are times when God sees our pain and when we call out to him, he immediately comes to our rescue.  Remember the story of Hagar, Sarai's servant.  She was given to Abram to bear him a child.  Now God had promised Abram a son but they decided to help God along.  (Just a sidenote: When God has promised you something, patiently wait for it.  It will come to pass.)  After Hagar became pregnant she begin to treat Sarai with contempt so Sarai begin to treat her harshly and she ran away.  There is the story and now here is the good part.  Hagar was running and who found her but the Lord.  He found her in her state of total despair.  I can only imagine how stressful that situation must have been.  Isn't it good to know that in the midst of everything you are going through, God sees you where you are.  Not only is he an on time God, but he is a right now God as well.  Right now in the middle of your situation, he sees you and he is wanting to help you.  So turn it over to him.  He can work it out. 

Dear Lord,

I just want to scream.  Life right now is overwhelming and I need your peace that surpasses all understanding.  I need you to wrap your loving arms around me and hide me safe in your arms. I thank you in advance for coming to me in my time of need.  I don't know where my life would be without you and I don't want to find out.  I praise your name today for being a 'right now' God.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.